Sunday, 2 March 2014

There is so much illegal and inconsiderate parking that we
almost don’t see it. With this in mind, and after noticing some blatant
examples on a recent ride, I decided to look back over the footage of taken on
my head-cam to highlight a few examples.

The attached video shows what I mean. First up, we have a
group of commercial vehicles all in a line, all parked entirely across the
pathetic excuse that passes for a cycle lane and much of the pavement too. A
series of drivers all think that their convenience is more important than that
of the people who might like to walk or cycle along this way.

Then we have the lazy driver who has parked on double yellow
lines outside a local shop. Just a few metres along there were spaces to park. Would
it have been so difficult to have parked a little further along and walked back
to the shop?

A minute or so further along we have cars parked entirely or
almost entirely on the pavement. Never mind if you are trying to walk along
that way or wheel a pushchair, or wheel yourself in a wheelchair. Do these
people not realise that the pavements are not designed for the weight of
vehicles? Over time, the surface of the pavement is damaged causing risk of
injury to people trying to walk along and costing council tax payer’s money in
repairs.

Finally, we have a white car parked on a junction. A few years ago, I acted for the mother of a young boy who
was killed in an accident that was contributed to by the thoughtless actions of
a motorist who parked their vehicle so close to a junction that it reduced
visibility for other road users. That person’s convenience cost a human life.

It really is time that people thought more about where they
are going to park their cars and also time that the authorities took action.

We also need, as a society, to wean ourselves off this
almost religious devotion to the car and the fanatical insistence upon being
able to park where the hell we want that comes with it. Tim Beasley, Partner, Levenes Solicitors

Friday, 24 January 2014

On my commute in to work the other day, I was riding in the bus lane in the Newtown Area of Birmingham. Traffic from Birchfield Road emerges from an underpass which bypasses a traffic island. Cyclists are permitted to ride in the bus lane. Normally that means just having to watch out for buses. However, there is a left turn just ahead. Traffic coming from Birchfield Road often drives across to the left across the bus lane to take this left turn.

On this particular morning, I noticed a Pilkington glass lorry. He was coming uphill (having just come out of the underpass) and was slowing down. I was going downhill having come down from the island above the underpass. I was going ahead at the next lights and I was gaining speed. The lorry intends to go left. I am gaining on him rapidly as he slows right down and he looms towards me somewhat ominously. I see his indicator and brake. I realise what he intends to do. Thankfully, we have both seen each other. When he realises that I have slowed right down and that I am not going to come through, he makes his move.

So you might ask, why should I be drawing attention to this little incident when nothing bad happend.

When I viewed the footage, I realised how much we depend on looking out for each other on our roads. Many of the deaths of cyclists on our roads have involved cyclists who have been crushed by left turning heavy goods vehicles. I ask myself, if I had continued at my previous speed and the lorry driver had not seen me, I would be dead. As I was in my lane and he was in another lane, it would have been his fault because I am entitled to proceed in my lane at the speed that traffic in my lane is proceeding. That's would not be much comfort to my wife and children. However, since I did not want to tangle with him, I gave way. There was noone right behind me. What would have happened, if a bus was just coming up behind me and had not noticed me? By braking to avoid the lorry, I could have been hit by a bus.

In the Netherlands, the construction of proper road infrastructure has reduced the risk that a moments inattention of a cyclist or a lorry driver does not result in an inquest. People do make mistakes. Death should not be the consequence. We have it within our power to reduce the death toll on our roads by providing proper Dutch style infrastructure.

Thursday, 14 November 2013

Yesterday afternoon I received word from LCC of a flash protest that they were organising at Bow Roundabout last night after the fourth cycling death in 8 days in London. I picked up CS2 on Whitechapel High Road and headed east to Bow Roundabout. It was rush hour at the time, around 6 p.m. and traffic was heavy as it always is.

It was not my first time at all on CS2, but it was my first trip to the Bow Roundabout.

Thursday, 24 October 2013

I wanted to write about the so-called 'Vigilante Cycle Gang' as reported with such revolting bias in a local rag. As regular viewers of my videos may know I often have problems with the bus gate crossing Belgrave Middleway in Birmingham, which is of dangerous design, where traffic restrictions are unenforced and is effectively lawless.

The signs clearly show the crossing to be for buses and cycles only but this doesn't stop a significant minority of motorists from passing illegally, using it as a rat run to the Moseley and Pershore Roads. Right turns are banned from all arms of the junction yet frequently ignored by drivers, putting pedestrians and cyclists at extra risk.

Friday, 20 September 2013

You may have come across the current RoadPeace campaign "Crash not Accident". The premise being that:
Crash Not Accident is a campaign for more neutral,
constructive terminology when referring to collisions on the roads.

"We understand that many collisions occur without
intent. But we object to the use of ‘accident’ as the standard term for all
collisions, including those where the driver is convicted of causing the death,
manslaughter, or even murder."
On the whole, I support this campaign about the language
used when referring to collisions and the connotations that come from the word
"accident". The word accident itself is not a legal word but in
practice it’s often intended to refer to any situation when the actions of a
person were not deliberate.

Monday, 2 September 2013

On Sunday, a collection of Birmingham's cyclists got together for a flashride to raise the profile of cycling in the UK outside of the capital.

It was great fun and a really great mix of people and bikes. From cyclists in full MAMIL regalia on carbon fibre hi-spec road bikes, to single speed bikes, recumbents, trikes, trailers, kids on bikes, kids in carry
chairs and on trailers, mountain bikes and Pashley’s with baskets etc.

Whatever our style or the type of bike we rode, we all had
something in common, a desire to highlight the need for better cycling
infrastructure in Birmingham.

Friday, 30 August 2013

Following a landmark report on the future of cycling in Britain by the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group (APPCG) that is calling for 10% of all journeys in Britain to be by bike by 2025, the London Cycling Campaign (LCC) have organised a "space for cycling" protest ride to coincide with the Parliamentary debate on the APPCG report.